I never thought I’d be one of those people, but here I was in the doctor’s office, compelled to admit my shame to a complete stranger. It was even more embarrassing than I had thought it would be as I stammered out the words– “I think I have pubic lice.”
Unfortunately, the doctor seemed unsurprised, confirming my suspicion that this wasn’t an uncommon problem. He prescribed various medicated creams for me to apply, and gave me a list of instructions to follow in order to get rid of the lice.
The thought of having these tiny insects living on my body was disconcerting, to say the least. I felt like I was constantly itchy, even when I wasn’t. Then, when I was itchy, I knew it was all the more likely that it was due to the infestation.
It was an inconvenient, irritating experience, to say the least. Not only did I have to apply the creams every single day, but I also had to be vigilant about cleaning my bedding and clothing to ensure the lice didn’t spread.
After weeks of treatment, I was finally free of the pubic lice. Though it was a relief to have them gone, I was still so embarrassed by the whole experience. I had heard horror stories of people being treated badly for having lice, and I was so afraid of telling anyone what I had gone through.
Thankfully, with time and patience, I was able to overcome the embarrassment and start talking about my experience. It was a difficult journey, but one that taught me a valuable lesson about not feeling ashamed of something beyond my control.